At the heart of this tale is the longstanding question that has followed the franchise since its origin: are human beings born into wickedness, with some incarnating the darkness in a particularly destructive way? Or are they made monsters by circumstances? The series has veered uneasily between these poles, never really settling on a single answer. Here, at last, we get a straightforward reckoning with the question — and a conclusion, of sorts.
That approach may irritate those longing to see Myers back in action as an eldritch, immortal predator. But Halloween Ends is decidedly an earned conclusion, one that dares to treat its own franchise as more than just a trashy slasher saga. Director David Gordon Green, to his credit, clearly believes this story can still have something to say, something perennial — and if the cost of serious-mindedness is a slightly lower body count, so be it.
Mr. Ehrett appears to be imagining a Platonic ideal form of this film, because the version that I actually saw is steaming hot garbage. I mean, I don’t pretend to have high standards for this sort of thing, but this wasn’t even bad in a good way; it was just plain awful. The only good thing about it is that it led to me discovering the Pitch Meeting series of videos by ScreenRant. Here, just in case any of you are tempted to follow me into the schlocky depths, let me save you the trouble: